Improvement in horse hay-rakes



2 Sheets--Sheet I.

R. WILSON. Horse Hay-Rakes.

Patented Oct. 13, 1874.

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' 2Sheets -Sheet2. H. WILSON.

Horse Hay-Rakes. No.156,005 Patented0ct.13,1s74.

WTNE 5 5E5= INVENTUE- MMM. 1 @Magni Q UNITED STATES PATENE OFHQE.

ROBERT WILSON, OF ITHACA, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN HORSE HAV-RAKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 156,005, dated October 13, 18711; application filed January l0, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT WILSON, of Ithaca, in the county of Tompkins and in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horse H ay-Rakes; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the upper side of my improved rake. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, and Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical lsections upon lines x a: and z z, respectively,

of Fig. 1.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures. 4

The design of my invention is to increase the eiciency and ease of operation of a horse hay-rake; and it consists in the means employed for holding the rake-teeth down to the ground, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter shown. It consists, further, in the means employed for adjusting the vertical position of the lower ends of the rake-teeth with relation to the frame of the machine, and to the ground, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

In the annexed drawings, A represents the axle of my machine supported at its ends upon, or by means of suitable ground-wheelsB and B, and having attached to its upper side, near said wheels, two shafts, O and (l, which, from thence extend forward, and slightly inward, and are connected together by two cross-bars, l) and E, which latter are arranged upon lines parallel with each other and with said axle. At a point midway between the shafts C and O two bars, F and F, are secured to or upon the upper sides of the axle A and cross-bars D and E, said bars F being arranged in lines parallel to each other, and to the line of draft, said cross-bars, longitudinal bars, axle and shafts constituting the frame of the machine. Extending rearward from the axle A are two or more lugs, Gr, within which is placed a rod, H, that serves as a bearing for, and upon which are pivoted, the forward upper ends of the curved rake-teeth I and I. At suitable points between the teeth I and I are pivoted the ends of two or more bars, K and K, that from thence extend rearward, and have attached to their opposite or free ends a wooden bar, L, which latter passes horizontally and transverselyacross the upper sides of said teeth, and is loosly connected with the same by means of a number of staples, l, that are attached to and extend downward from its lower sideone of said staples being arranged so as to pass beneath and around each tooth. Pivoted upon the rod H, at or near its longitudinal center, is a bell-crank, M, the rea-r corner of which is attached to or upon the pressure-bar L, while to its forward corner is secured one end of a chain, N, that from thence extends forward, and at its opposite end is attached to or upon a standard, O, which latter is secured to and extends vertically upward from the longitudinal framebars F. Immediately in front of the standard O a lever, P, (having the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4,) is pivoted between the framebars F, with its handle or longest portion extending forward and upward in a curve. The lower end of said lever curves rearward, and has pivoted thereto one end of a bar, Q, within the opposite forked end of which latter is pivoted a grooved pulley, q, that rests upon the upper side of the chain N, said chain being contained within the open `or forked portion of said lever. As thus arranged, it will be seen that, by moving the upper end of the lever P rearward, its lower end will be moved downward and forward, .and with it the bar Q and pulley q, by which means the chain N will be depressed at its center, the bell-crank M turned forward and downward, and the pressure-bar L and raketeeth I turned upward and forward, so as to dump the gavel or load that has been collected by, and which rests upon, said teeth.

In tripping the teeth of a rake, it is found that the greatest power is required at the commencement of the operation. By use of my tripping devices, the pressure exerted is many times greater at the commencement of the operation than after the teeth have been partly raised, and the operator is thus enabled to trip the rake with the greatest ease.

In order that the power of the draft animal may be utilized for the purpose of tripping the rake, an arm, p, is provided upon, and extends downward from, the lower side of the le- 2 i mecca ver P, and to said arm isattaehed a draft-rod, It, that from thence extends forward within suitable supports, and at its front end is connected to or with the single-tree S, said arrangement of parts causing the power of said animal to be applied to the machine through said tripping-lever, and to cause the lower end of the latter to be drawn forward, except when locked in position,`by the foot of the operator.

The rake-teeth are held down to the ground by means of a bar, T, that slides longitudi nally and in a line with the draftwithin suitable bearings U and V, which are, respect-V ively, attached to the cross-bar E and axle A, the rear end of said bar T being caused to rest upon the lupper side of the pressure-bar L and prevent the same from rising.

A spring, W, attached to the axle A, and to the side of the locking-bar T, draws the latter rearward into engagement with the pressure-bar L, While a foot-lever, X, pivoted upon the cross-bar E, and loosely connected with the forward end of said locking-bar, enables the operator to release the latter from engagement with said pressure-bar whenever it is desired to trip the rake. i

A curved guide or bearing plate, Y, attached to the front side of the pressure-bar L, bears against the rear end of the locking-bar T, and causes said bar to be automatically pressed forward as said bar L is dropped to position after having been raised.

In order that the position of the lower ends of the teeth, with relation to the surface of the ground, may be varied to correspond with the height of the horse used, the bearing V, which forms the rear guide for the lockingbar T, is made adjustable vertically, so as to enable the rear end of said bar to be raised or lowered.

It being desirable that the hay being gathered should be kept from contact with the the wheels, each of the outer teeth I is curved inward iu advance of the remaining teeth I,

by which means the vhay is thrown toward instead of from the center.

The usual strippers Z Z, which extendrearward from the axle between the rake-teeth, complete the machine, the operation of which has been sufficiently described.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention, what I claim as new 1sl. In combination with the pivoted raketeeth I and I', and the pressure-bar L, the bell-crank M, chain N, standard 0, lever P, forked bar Q, and grooved pulley q, substantially as and for the purpose specilied.

2. In combination Wit-h the locking-bar T, the bearing V, made vertically adjustable upon or with relation to the axle, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set niyhand this 6th dayof J anuary, 1874.

- ROBERT WILSON. Vitn esses S. J. PARKER, A. M. LUcAs. 

